LAT: New Adventures: Friends in Fog
by Essansee
Summary: Annette is home, everything is good...Christmas is right around the corner, which means a visit from Aunt Sarah...and someone new. Danielle is about to learn a valuable lesson in love and friendship.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! I'm back with another story-I hope everyone liked the ending of Journey. :3 And I hope you all got to see Annette and Mitch on Deviantart as well! Speaking of Mitch-He's had a name change. It's finished on DA, and I'll soon change it here, starting with this story. His name is officially Kilian. **

** .com**

**This story will probably be much shorter that my others, and more simple...since it will feature Danielle. I've been wanting to do a story for her for a long time. She needs something special-so here it is. **

**Danielle's story. Enjoy!**

"When is she leaving?"

"She isn't even here yet!"

"Doesn't answer my question..."

Danielle, the little cocker spaniel mix, was looking back and forth between her brother and sister as they discussed the impending doom. Aunt Sarah was coming to stay, and the whole family was in an uproar about it this afternoon.

They were standing together in the front room, having just heard the news.

Danielle watched Collette scoff and shake her head.

"Really, Scamp. She's not that bad! She's just strict."

Scamp made a face.

"I guess you'll be defending her cats next."

"I don't think any dog is capable of that, Scamp." A new voice broke into the conversation. Scamp broke into a wide grin and turned to see his best friend, and mate, Angel, walking into the room. She returned the smile.

"Hey, Angel!" He greeted, wagging his little tail.

Danielle couldn't help but laugh. She always laughed when she was happy. And what reason would there be to not be happy? Life was good.

"Wanna go hide with me for a few days?" Scamp woofed, thumping his body down in a playful crouch.

Angel rolled her eyes and grinned.

"Psh. I don't know about that. What's so bad about Aunt Sarah anyway?"

"Nothing!" Collette protested. "Scamp doesn't like her because she never lets him get into trouble without giving him a slipper afterwards."

Danielle laughed again. That was funny! It was true. Scamp and Aunt Sarah didn't see eye to eye.

"Ha! Yeah! Scamp's always gettin' the slipper!" Danielle just couldn't help but add.

"Wrong! Aunt Sarah doesn't let me have any _fun._" Scamp corrected Collette with a snort. His big ears flopped loudly against his head.

"Your idea of fun would probably ruin her shoes." Collette joked.

Scamp's face brightened.

"Scamp..." Angel warned, trying her best not to laugh. Danielle's smile grew wider. It was times like this that she loved her family the most, when they were just being silly and happy, talking to each other...it was times like this that she understood them most. Other than that, they were all so confusing!

"What...I didn't say anything." The scruffy grey dog looked at his best friend. "It's Collette that's talking about ruining old Sarah's shoes." He tossed his head in his indignant sister's direction.

"Why are we ruining Aunt Sarah's shoes?"

Everyone turned to see the speaker. It was Annette. Limping close at her side was the terrier mix, the patchy brown and white Kilian.

"Annette!" Danielle woofed. Her tail wagged furiously. Annette gave her identical sister a winning smile.

"Hello, Danielle."

Collette nodded a quiet greeting to the other dogs, while Angel and Scamp woofed their happy hellos. Annette and Collette had made up for their fighting after Annette returned home, but there was still an awkwardness around them that Danielle didn't understand. She always brushed it off. She was just happy to have her sisters back together.

Annette had returned home a few weeks ago, much to everyone's joy. She had even brought her new friend with her. The two had come back with a wild story about being kidnapped, forced into a gang, and even made to fight each other.

Most of the pair's scars were closing now, hidden by their fur. But there was one...

Annette reached Danielle and pushed her head under her sister's in a sweet kind of greeting. Danille could feel the scarring on the back of Annette's neck, bare and thick. Fur tinged the edges of the jagged thing, but refused to grow back on it.

Danielle felt sadness. She had always looked up to her sisters. She had always known that they were smarter than she was, better at talking even. Sometimes it was hard for her to speak as well as them. She couldn't find words to voice that she'd missed Annette in her absence.

Scamp sighed, and finally answered the question.

"Collette suggested we ruin Aunt Sarah's shoes for fun."

"What!" Collette choked. A little ripple of laughter passed through the growing crowd of dogs. Even Collette herself laughed.

"Who's Aunt Sarah?" Kilian piped up shyly in his husky voice. "I 'ent never seen her around here."

"She's an old lady." Danielle nodded seriously. That should explain it. Annette glanced at her slightly younger sister and then looked at Kilian. Her eyes took on a sparkly kind of admiring look when she spoke to him.

"She hasn't been around for a visit since I met you. She doesn't live here."

"She might as well, if she's staying 'til after Christmas..." Scamp groaned. "If I get blamed for anything those cats of hers do...I'll...I'll..."

A sharp knock on the door interrupted the scruffy dog's sentence.

"Coming!" The master, Jim Dear's voice echoed excitedly through the house. The knocker beat on the door again. "I'm coming, Aunt Sarah!"

"Aw, man..." Scamp whined. He began to slink from the room, only stopping to grab Angel's tail along the way. She wiggled away from her friend with a protesting squeak, and the two escaped together without another word.

The door flew open before Jim Dear could reach it. He skidded on his heel and stopped awkwardly in the hall while Aunt Sarah stormed in, throwing an incredibly cold wind after her. Clenched tightly in one bony fist was a basket, and out of the basket peeped two sets of mean looking blue eyes.

In the other fist was a child's hand, and on the end of that hand was a young boy. He was crying loudly, in a deep, sad voice.

"Jim!" The old woman shrilled. "Get my bags, my hands are full! Quick now, before my makeup freezes out there!"

"Y-yes Aunt Sarah, of course." Jim stuttered, as shocked as anyone.

Every dog was watching, stunned at the entrance. Aunt Sarah dropped her cats by the door and dragged the petrified little boy through the front room.

"Come now, Thomas. Quickly, out of the cold." She said, sounding almost motherly, if a bit sharp. The boy, Thomas, just cried and let her pull him. She thrust him down on the sofa and gave him a single command.

"Sit."

He sniffled and ran the back of a clumsy hand over his dripping nose. His blue eyes blinked pitifully.

"Jim! Have you got my bags?" Everyone's attention snapped to poor Jim. He was lugging a heavy suitcase in either hand, stumbling under the weight. The tall man kicked the door shut behind him with one foot.

"Yes, Aunt Sarah. I suppose I'll take these to the guest room for you." He panted, shuffling away as Darling appeared. Junior was toddling behind her in green pajamas. He peeked around his mother's leg when she stopped to speak to Aunt Sarah.

"Sarah, it is good to see you!" She said sweetly. "And I take it this is Thomas?" She turned her head with a gentle smile to the sniffling boy. "He's grown."

Aunt Sarah chuckled. "He has." She walked over and patted Thomas's sandy blonde head roughly. He blinked hard and gave a gurgling grunt. Danielle was surprised. She'd never seen a boy this big make noises like that. He was at least six years old, but he sounded like Junior.

The boy hunched under Aunt Sarah's pats, slouching into the sofa as if he was the most miserable child in existance.

"His parents..." Darling said in a hushed voice. "Have they had him see a doctor as of late?"

Danielle perked her ears. She knew what a doctor was. It was a vet, for people. Why did the little boy need a vet? He didn't look hurt.

She glanced around at her sisters, and Kilian. Collette had lost interest. She was gazing at the basket by the door, which was now empty. The spaniel mix excused herself quietly and trotted off to investigate.

Annette and Kilian were creeping forward, side by side, to get a closer look at the boy. Danielle decided to follow.

"Hey!" She barked. "I wanna see too."

"Shhh!" Annette hissed. She gave her sister a patient look. "You'll scare him."

"He's already scared. That woman's yelling probably did him in." Kilian wrinkled his nose and crept closer.

Danielle, Annette, and Kilian reached the sofa and hopped up on their hind legs to investigate. Thomas rubbed his eyes again and gazed over his feet at the dogs.

It was then that Danielle got her first good look at the boy. He had dirty blonde hair that fell into his face, though it looked like someone had tried to comb it. His blue eyes were slanted and sleepy looking. He tilted his head, much like a dog would, and licked his lips with a wet tongue as clumsy as his hands were.

"Ugh..." He whined.

"We're not gonna hurt ya." Kilian told the little boy with a toothy smile. The child's head wobbled around as he gazed back and forth between the three dogs. Annette wagged her tail and stretched out a paw to touch the boy's leg.

Danielle couldn't resist. She nudged Thomas's shiny black shoe with her muzzle. He drew his legs back in fright and cried out.

"He's scared of us..." Danielle said softly. Her ears drooped and her heart fell. For some reason, this fact made her very sad. She liked the odd little boy.

Just then, there was a loud, metallic crash in the kitchen. A cat wailed. long and sharp. The three dogs raised their heads at once and turned in the direction of the sound.

"It's Si and Am." Annette sighed. "I hope they haven't gotten Collette into trouble..." She raced off.

"Wait, Ma'am!" Kilian barked. He thrust himself away from the couch to follow her.

"Oh!" Aunt Sarah's hands flew to her face in a fluttery panic. "My babies! They've been hurt! No doubt being chased by one of those rascals!" She skittered from the room, shiny shoes clacking frantically.

"Aunt Sarah..." Darling picked Junior up and shifted him onto her hip, walking calmly from the room behind her high strung relative.

Danielle was left alone in seconds, standing stunned, still propped on the couch. It had all happened to fast for her! She furrowed her brow and gave a little growl. Everything always happened too fast for her...it was frustrating. She clawed at her head for a moment, wanting nothing more than to be rid of the fog that had been in there for as long as she could remember.

"Ugh..." Thomas whimpered again. She peeked over the couch at him, forgetting her own frustrations for the boy. He was tugging at his white dress shirt nervously. One of the buttons was undone.

"What's wrong?" Danielle whined. The boy shook his head and gazed around the empty room with tearful eyes. He gave another whimper. Danielle's heart went out to the little boy. He was scared.

She hopped onto the sofa to sit beside him. He crawled away, scooting as far from the spaniel mix as he could be. She didn't advance on him, but she watched him without a sound.

He shook his head again. That wild tongue jerked across his mouth once more. He gave a soft wail and thrust a tiny, weak fist into his own forehead a few times.

"Don't...don't hurt yourself..." Danielle looked around for help. She could hear the commotion in the kitchen. No one could come right now. The brown dog crept closer to the boy.

Thomas cried out again, softer this time. He raised his hand once more, but Danielle was fast enough to catch it under her paw. He stopped crying, and stared, stunned at his hand. He wiggled it a little, but Danielle didn't release him. She was as surprised as he was at the catch.

"Don't hurt yourself." Danielle said again. "It don't help anything." She tilted her head and gazed up at the boy, who met her eyes. His head bobbed on his shoulders as if his neck was struggling to support him.

Danielle kept her eyes on Thomas, but lowered her chin, ever so slowly, onto his hands. He made a small sound. It was more confusion and wonder than fear now. He was still.

After a while, the boy moved. He lowered his small frame onto Danielle's body and pulled his hands free, wrapping them around her furry neck. She blinked in surprise, but wagged her tail. He buried his wet, snotty face into her fur and made a small crooning sound. She could feel his frame relax on her.

Her heart beat a little faster when the boy grunted and crooned again, nuzzling deep into her back.

"I...I like you too." She stuttered. She'd made a friend.


	2. Chapter 2

Danielle couldn't move. Little Thomas had fallen sound asleep on her back. He was still hanging tightly to her fur with his chubby hands, as if he was trying to keep her there.

She gave a deep sigh and licked her lips. She was thirsty. The cocker mix gazed across the room, where the commotion had stopped, far away in the kitchen. Would anyone come save her?

She gave a small, hopeful squirm, attempting to free herself from the funny child's tight grasp. He whined in his sleep, a deep, distressed sound, and simply clung tighter. A feeling welled inside of Danielle's chest, one that made her think she might cry. She was stuck.

"My sweet baby..." A sharp voice crooned, making the dog's head turn. She felt faint with relief. It was Aunt Sarah, clutching one of her cats to her chest. The Siamese was rubbing its cheek against her and purring like a kitten, but it wore a look of devilish mischief in its smile. Winding its way across the room at the woman's heel was the cat's twin.

Annette and Kilian were nowhere to be seen, but Collette was crawling into the room behind Lady, Junior, and Darling. Junior was using his own little feet to shuffle awkwardly behind his mother, acting out the action of the kitchen with his fat hands.

"Boom! Chsss...Meiooow!" He squeaked, giggling to himself.

"Oh, Aunt Sarah!" Darling said softly, practically gliding over to the couch where Danielle lay trapped by Thomas. The dog tried to wag her tail, and found it hard. "He's asleep..." The woman reached one dainty hand out to brush the child's hair from his sweaty forehead. "Isn't he darling?"

Danielle couldn't understand why the woman was calling this boy by her own name. She huffed. "He's got me stuck!" She whimpered, pawing at the couch.

"Ooooh...that dog..." Aunt Sarah scolded, waving one bony finger in Danielle's direction. She cringed under the finger. "That dog is going to wake him, squirming about like that. A child should not bed with hounds, no matter how prim and proper they put on!"

"Now, Sarah." Darling lifted Thomas easily from Danielle's back, cradling him against her chest. His head fell to her shoulder as if he belonged there. Danielle took a deep, cool breath and shook her fur out, then hopped from the couch to meet her mother and sister. Darling continued her gentle scolding. "Danielle meant no harm. Little Thomas seemed as though he didn't mind her being there for him."

"Yeah! He didn't care." Danielle snorted, stretching her legs out one by one. Lady gave her daughter a little nuzzle as she did so, which the younger dog gratefully returned.

"Did you help the boy fall asleep?" Lady said, in a voice as quiet and honey-smooth as her female master's.

Danielle nodded sheepishly, watching Darling, Junior, and Aunt Sarah slowly walk away, the adults speaking amongst themselves. The cats slunk off in the other direction. Collette wrinkled her nose.

"I hate cats." She grumbled. "Si had me trapped under a gumbo pot in the kitchen."

"Having second thoughts about a certain female's shoes?" A voice piped up. Danielle and Collette both turned to Scamp, who looked as disgusted as his sisters at the thought of the cats being loose in the house.

"Scamp..." Lady warned, casting a very motherly eye at her son, who cowered, small tail tucked. Danielle giggled roughly. It was funny to see her brother act this way. He was taller than their mother now, but still deathly afraid of her reprimanding.

"Heh. Heh heh." He laughed nervously, backing away. "Got it mom, I'll...I'll go guard those shoes. Make sure nothing gets 'em."

Lady nodded. She was never much of a talker. Danielle admired this about her mother. Everyone else wanted to talk so much! It was hard. Especially when there were lots of dogs.

Scamp turned tail and darted from the room, leaving Danielle bubbling with laughter. Even Collette gave a few chuckles.

"How did you get him to fall asleep?" Lady said suddenly, stopping the laughter. She tilted her head at Danielle, who mirrored her identically.

"Uh..." She really wasn't sure how she'd done it. He'd just sniffled himself to sleep on her back. "Who is she?" The young dog decided to ask instead. It was a question that had been on her mind since the moment she'd laid eyes on the boy.

Danielle saw Collette yawn from the corner of her eye. The child did not interest her identical sister in the least. For some reason though, she didn't mind.

"His name is Thomas." Lady explained. "He was nothing more than what Junior is now when I met him, long ago. There's something wrong inside of his head." She and Danielle both turned their eyes towards the stairs. "The humans say that he's sick."

Danielle's heart leapt at this new information. The boy was sick? She didn't like that. That sounded bad.

"I-I want to see him." She found herself saying.

"He's probably sleeping." Collette said, as if trying to convince her sister to stop this madness.

"I wanna see him." Danielle answered, for the third time.

Collette huffed, but followed anyway, with obvious love for her sibling. The pair were alone, heading up the tall, carpeted stairway. The gentle padding of the dogs' paws on each step was the only sound to be heard.

"Kilian says Meelus is coming to visit this evening." Collette said eventually. There was a soft sigh in her voice. Even Danielle knew that she adored the big red dog. Danielle shook her head hard. Though she liked Meelus herself, she wasn't going to stop this mission.

"I gotta see the little boy." She protested stubbornly. Collette gave up her blatant attempts to sway her sister then, and simply followed in Danielle's pawsteps.

At the top of the stairs, across the hall from Junior's bedroom, was the room that little Thomas had been laid to sleep in.

"Is he in there?" Collette asked quietly.

"Ah..." Danielle stared at the white door in front of the two dogs. She thought that this was the room. A sudden faint, gurgling wail crept under the doorway. Her heart lightened. "Ah-yup!" She said cheerfully, giving her sister a tongue lolling smile. Collette returned it, but she didn't look quite as happy with this discovering for some reason.

Danielle shrugged it off and ducked her head to gave her right ear a good pawing before moving on. She pressed one paw against the white door, which wasn't closed in its frame, making it swing open without a sound.

Both Collette and Danielle stood close together against the frame of the entrance, peering cautiously into the room. It wasn't one that either had spent much time in.

Danielle's eyes fell on the bed in the middle of the room. It was one of those big ones, the kind with the giant frame and light curtains draped around it from the top. Without waiting for Collette, Danielle crept closer.

"Wait!" Collette hissed. "Sister!" Danielle stopped to look over her shoulder at Collette. She wrinkled her nose and gave her head a little shake. Collette hadn't moved from the doorway. She was afraid! But Danielle wouldn't be afraid, oh no. She told herself hours ago that being afraid of the boy was wrong.

"Come on, Collette." Danielle pleaded. Collette took a tiny step back. Danielle gave a heavy, deep throated sigh. She turned back to the bed that held the funny boy in sleep. He was there alright. Danielle could smell his fear and sweat and tears already. A small sound was carried from the bed, egging her on.

Danielle reached the bed and hopped up onto her hind legs, wobbling slightly as she did so. She raised her chin and peeked over the edge of the soft, blanketed surface and found him there.

The boy was curled in a nest of sheets and quilts that didn't cover an inch of him. It looked as if he had thrown them off. He was clutching the coverings as if that single handful would keep him from floating away. His slanted eyes were shut too tightly, and his face twitched in a bad dream. His face was damp with sweat.

Danielle opened her mouth and turned her head to speak to Collette.

"He's dreaming..." She began, but trailed off when she saw that Collette's attention was elsewhere. Her ears had perked high, and her own head was turned in the direction of the stairs.

"Meelus is here." She announced, then gave Danielle an apologetic glance before taking off in a fast trot.

Danielle didn't even have time to respond. As usual. She heaved a small sigh. If there was one thing...well. One thing in a lot of things, that Danielle could never understand...it was how her sisters could be so worked up over boys! Annette and Kilian, and Collette and...everyone.

She snorted and looked at the sleeping boy as she pondered. Her heart softened when her gaze fell on the child. He was clingy, but there was just something about him that drew her near.

Without thinking, the spaniel laid down next to the child for the second time that day. This time, when his hands found her fur, she was expecting it. He gave a groan in his sleep and held her tighter.

Happy barks were floating up the stairwell and into the open doorway that Collette had left empty. It sounded like a lot of fun down there.

Danielle was tempted to get up for a moment. She was so lost in thought about the decision that it startled her when Thomas started kicking his clumsy little legs in a slow, sleepy fit.

The dog didn't know what to. She pressed her body against the child's and stared at his twisted face, until those odd eyes popped open. A cry died on his lips, and his legs ceased their kicking.

Boy and dog looked at each other, both confused and frightened. A whimper from Thomas broke the short silence.

"Why are you scared?" Danielle asked him, as if he could understand the words she was saying. And then, as if he really did, the boy covered his eyes with the backs of his hands.

For once, Danielle absolutely understood. He was scared. Not of her, or a bad dream, but...everything. He was different, and the world was a frightening place for someone different.

"Don't be scared." The spaniel said softly. "I'll protect you."

And then, by some unspoken agreement, the boy's arms tightened once more around the dog, and then slacked, and fell minutes later. He was asleep, and he was alright.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys, its me, Essansee! So so so sorry for the long wait here! I've been focusing on getting the story onto my deviantart. .com. Check it out if you want to see what the characters look like! **

**Thanks for being patient with me over this long wait. c;**

"Merciful heavens!"

Danielle awoke with a start. Someone was screeching, loud enough to hurt her delicate ears. She threw both paws over them even before she saw who was screaming.

It was Aunt Sarah, flailing her bony hands in wild, shaky motions, trying to shoo Danielle from Thomas's bed. Danielle gave a deep throated groan and squeezed her eyes shut for a single moment, before little Thomas began his own wail.

A surge of frustration rose in the spaniel mix. Aunt Sarah was scaring him! He didn't need to be scared. She let her paws slide from her ears and pushed her way into the boy's lap, where he was sitting up in his bed now, clenching and unclenching his fists against his face, threatening to scratch those pale cheeks.

"Hey! Don't do that." Danielle gruffed, nudging one sweaty hand as if she was the true boss of this boy. Aunt Sarah threw those twitching hands up high and gave a strangled kind of sound, making Danielle steal a cautious, guilty glance in the woman's direction. Would she have to calm her too? Hopefully not. Aunt Sarah was the kind of woman who carried an umbrella around, ready to poke anyone who got in her way.

But why, oh why, oh why was she so upset? It didn't make any sense! Danielle felt Thomas's snotty face against the top of her head, and she relaxed a bit, seeing that he was calming now. She tried her best to listen to Aunt Sarah, but the woman was just screaming about heaven, and fleas, and fur.

It hit Danielle then. Aunt Sarah had fleas. Why she was screaming like this though...Danielle shook her head. Thomas made a small sound of protest up there.

"Sorry." She mumbled.

He grunted a response. Forgiveness, she concluded.

"Aunt Sarah! What's the matter?" Jim Dear came panting into the room. He bent, hands on his knees, and breathed deeply. It looked like the man had run all the way upstairs!

"Aunt Sarah has fleas." Danielle drawled, looking at Jim Dear for answers. He obviously didn't hear her. He was focused on Aunt Sarah, who was pointing one of those stick-fingers at Danielle and Thomas.

"That dog." She said simply, one short, snippy sentence.

Danielle felt herself shrink. That dog?

Jim Dear gave another wheezy breath.

"Now, Sarah." He chided gently. "You know as well as anyone that these dogs wouldn't hurt a fly."

"I know that!" Aunt Sarah snapped. "But I still don't condone the sharing of a bed with any animal. Who knows what that dog could have gotten into! Garbage! Worms! The foul possibilities stretch on..." Danielle couldn't bring herself to take her wide eyes off of the woman. She was angry! She was angry at...that dog. It hurt. Danielle craned her head to look at Thomas. He was staring blankly at the bedsheets, as if he wasn't hearing a word of the conversation.

There was a long pause, and then Jim Dear gave a heavy sigh.

"Come on, little lady." He said, grabbing Danielle by her collar. She was too large to simply be picked up now. The dog gave a whine of disapproval, but leapt down from the bed and away from her new companion. She impacted with the floor before she could even register what happened, and promptly landed on her chin with a click of her teeth. She'd lost her footing again!

"Out." Jim Dear commanded, pointing at the door. Danielle crouched to her belly and followed the man's hand signal, crawling to the door. She stopped briefly to steal a glance at Thomas, who was now kicking his legs slowly as he death-stared the sheets. He looked like he was going to have another fit.

Danielle lost herself in watching him, until Jim gave his command again.

"Out, Danielle." He said, louder, and more sternly this time. She scooted away, faster this time reaching the door. It felt like she had been physically struck. It was confusing. Did Aunt Sarah not want her to befriend Thomas?

That couldn't be it. Thomas needed a friend!

Danielle snorted. It was all just weird.

"I don't want her sleeping in bed with him. He's sick enough as it is. He'll likely be put away when he's older, you know that..."

Danielle drowned the muffled voices out with a sigh. She didn't understand it, and it just made her head hurt.

"Watch out, move!" A barking voice called, as she reached the bottom of the stairs. Danielle was slow to respond, stopping to cock her head first. What? It hit her. Literally. She was tumbling on the ground underneath not one, but two squirming heaps of fur.

Scamp let out a loud laugh and bounced away.

"Gosh, Danielle, move means move!" He said, still bouncing. The other dog was spewing apologies. It was Kilian.

"Oh, I am so sorry, I didn't know that you were there, I just kind of ran Scamp right into you." He bubbled, wrinkling his brow.

Before Danielle could respond, Scamp gave her a hard nudge, shoulder to shoulder.

"Aw, she's fine with it, aren't ya, Danielle? She's not quite as prissy as Collette and Annette."

"Annette's not prissy." Kilian leapt to defense.

"Yeah!" Danielle found her voice, and forgot quickly about her woes in the moment. "Annette's not prissy." She wasn't sure what prissy was, really. The boys used the word a lot to describe the sisters, and other girls in the neighborhood as well.

"Oh, so you're on their side?" Scamp teased Danielle, who nodded fervently.

The grey dog screwed up his face at Kilian, all the while hanging his tongue out in a display of disgust.

"She lets Collette..."pretty" her ears. She's prissy!" Danielle wasn't sure what the connection was here, but it sounded pretty convincing. She looked at Kilian, awaiting his response.

"She does that 'cause Collette likes it!" He backed into a playful crouch. Scamp did the same.

"Oh yeah?" Scamp smirked. "Let's go ask her."

"Do it! I dare you!" The terrier mix barked back. Danielle was jerking her head from one direction to the other, trying to keep up with the two.

"On it!"

Before Kilian could say another word, Scamp was off. Kilian groaned, but stayed put, sitting down. The patchy dog shook his head.

"I didn't know you were friends with Scamp!" Danielle woofed cheerfully, plunking down beside the family's newest member. She opened her mouth in a wide, doggish grin.

Kilian shrugged casually. "Annette is getting really close with Angel, so I've been seeing a lot of Scamp."

Danielle nodded seriously. Of course. She understood at least this. Angel and Scamp were always together! Everyone knew that.

There was an awkward silence. Danielle hadn't really gotten a good chance to get to know this dog yet.

Kilian was the one to break it, while Danielle was still grasping for words.

"Sooo...whatcha doing?"

Danielle was brought back to reality with a frown.

"Nothing." She mumbled, looking at her paws.

"Oh."

Another awkward silence.

"Aunt Sarah is mad at me!" Danielle couldn't help but spill then.

Kilian looked slightly taken aback at the outburst.

"The cat lady?" He almost stuttered. "I thought she was mad at everyone."

"I fell asleep with the boy." She admitted guiltily, hanging her head. For some reason, this was bad, and she knew it.

"Oh." Kilian repeated the one word, but it was different this time, somehow. Danielle said nothing. She didn't need to. The terrier was still talking.

"After I met Annette, we kind of fell asleep together one night. Your dad..." He swallowed hard, as if remembering something scary. It caught Danielle's attention. "Your dad came to get her. He wasn't happy."

"Well why not?" Danielle said, tilting her head. Annette and Kilian slept beside each other every night. No one stopped them. No one ever even said anything about it, like they did when teasing Angel and Scamp.

"He didn't know me. I was a stranger." Kilian explained patiently, looking Danielle directly in the eye. It was odd, the effect it had. As if it could help her understand things better.

"But you weren't gonna hurt her." Danielle countered.

"No. But he didn't know that. I had to earn his trust as well."

Danielle was connecting the dots. Aunt Sarah didn't trust her to be alone with Thomas. She was scared that something bad could happen.

"Well." Kilian said after a few moments, jerking Danielle back to the conversation. "I should probably go find Annette before Scamp does."

"Oh, okay." Danielle said, nodding once more as the terrier stood.

"See ya, Danielle." He said, bounding off then.

"Bye!" Danielle bellowed, hoping he heard her in his quick run.

She was alone with her thoughts now. A deep sigh escaped, gusty and long. Aunt Sarah could clearly be heard on the stairs, fussing over Thomas, who was crying his poor heart out over the descent.

Danielle stood. She would show Aunt Sarah that she could be trusted!


End file.
